October....the end.

Oh the excitement!  Clouds for the 2nd time since I have been here.  Well maybe not much to get excited about but it gets better.  After the end of the 2 days in a row of cloud I noticed that there were actually some darker more substantial clouds on the horizon.  Lo, and behold we had rain.  Although it was not even enough to get the ground wet it was exciting simply for the fact that it has been nothing but hot sun for 4 month.

Come to think of it, every day is a day at the beach.  You even get to walk on rocks and sand everywhere.

Not very exciting I know - but it's life as I know it.

Hrmmmm

Maybe too much thinking time lately.  I have been reminiscing on hunting today for some reason.  Probably what started me on this mental meandering path was the opportunity to check out the scope on an M16.  One look through that I was was daydreaming of sitting in my treestand surrounded by vegetation and cold crisp air - sigh.  Oh well, no deer hunting for me this year.  Perhaps a rabbit hunt when I make it home for vacation.  I might even be able to talk some into our "annual" boxing day sea duck hunt but I doubt I could handle the cold right now.
The weather has finally turned here and it is cool enough in the early morning and evening to warrant the wearing of a sweater.  Coffee time after breakfast on my "patio" ( read 2 plastic chairs on the rocks and sand covered by a camo net) is quite comfortable now and perhaps the best time of the day.
Lots of folks have been leaving the last few days so it has been sad to say goodbye to some new friends.  hopefully the ones coming in to replace them will be just as friendly.  It has been a nice quiet week on the war front as well as no major issues with my equipment so hopefully things can stay that way  - at least for a while.  40 some days till vacation - can't wait!

I write therefore I .....

Kind of bothering me that I don't have much to write about these days.  I have intentions to get some pictures of my surroundings.  The trick is to do this in a way that would not be considered a security risk.  There are a really interesting sting of mountains north of here that on rare occasion are fully visible and maybe even impressive.  I am hoping to get some good shots of them soon.
Again this week there has been lots of bad news.  Although the mood is not great around here, it is surprising how much people can move on with things if the need is there.
I won't write in detail but I have heard some of the craziest funny stories about the locals here that makes one wonder how they make it to tomorrow.  I will say that common sense is not granted to as many as you might think.  Driving for example is not nearly as bad at home now that I have seen really bad.  A stop sign in any language of your preference is not merely a suggestion.
Hopefully I will come up with something a little more exciting to write about next time.

What are you waiting for?

Christmas! ... or I suppose to be more precise, vacation which happens to co-en-side with Christmas - Bonus!

Anticipation seems to make things that much better.  If it's worth waiting for, the more joy you get.  Sometimes a simple little thing like waiting for meal time or when you are tired just waiting anxiously for that moment when you can lay down, sigh and fall to sleep are all it takes.  Maybe a struggle with patience can be relieved by taking a simple look at what you are most looking forward to in the near future.

In the long term (perhaps), are you anticipating eternity with a confident "know so" hope?

what's up?

Well I really have not had much new to write about in the last few weeks.  Although it seems slow, time is moving along and I have started to count the days until vacation.  There have been a number of incidents in the last week and the mood here is getting very somber.  I'd like to keep a chipper attitude but it is hard when you know what is going on around you.
  Thanksgiving has come and gone and other than some greetings from friends and family I didn't give it much thought.  I have a lot to be thankful for especially while experiencing what some of the world is like.  I have another opportunity with American thanksgiving coming up.

On January 31st, 1957, Canadian Parliament proclaimed...
"A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed ... to be observed on the 2nd Monday in October."

Don't forget what you have to be thankful for - especially love, friendship and freedom.

new experiences?

Not quite what I had in mind when I thought this adventure would be great for new experiences.  To be sick for a week now has been tough.  To have to travel a good 300 yds to get to the bathroom when you are sick is not the type of adventure and experience I had in mind.  Never mind any of this crap (pun intended) that it will make you a stronger and better person.  Hoping - no truly praying for an adventure free night tonight.

how long is a dog year?

Time here seems to add double.  It takes twice as long as "normal" to get anything accomplished.  each day seems to take 48 hours to go by.  I'm feeling like time here is taking twice the toll on mind body and spirit.  The exception to this would be good news does not seem to last nearly as long as it should.
For now I will continue to count the days till my first vacation and try to stay positive and look for the up side.
Not sure if it is wise to share this as I don't want anyone to worry about me more than they are already, however; while i was down very ill the other day, a rocket landed somewhere in the area of 100 meters from my bed.  Although I may have felt sick enough to want to die - of course I truly don't wish to.  Thanks to God watching over many of us, the rocket did not detonate.  I'm not entirely sure how much damage it would have caused but I was told it would not have been good.

ill

spent the last 48 hrs dealing with illness.  Let's just say this is not the place you want to be when hit hard by something bad you ate.  Almost got to the point where I needed to get an IV to replace fluids, but thankfully I am feeling much better and hope to soon forget it.  Sometimes there is no place like home!

duck

Missing the annual duck hunt this year for the first time in a long while.  I hear the weather is not going to be the best this year (unless you are a duck).  Hope the guys have a good trip.